A Cruise To Remember
by x-MewHazzard-x
Summary: They'd been together six years but Masaya's feelings had changed which led to a certain broken-hearted redhead. In an attempt to escape her suffering, Ichigo jumped on the chance to cruise around the world but soon enough realised that being all alone on a big boat, full of couples, was the worst way to keep her mind off of the heart ache. When she's at her lowest who can save her?
1. Chapter 1

She took another large sip of wine from her almost empty glass. It was her third glass that night and she was already feeling quite tipsy. But it wasn't enough! If she could still remember him, it wasn't enough! With that in mind she downed the last of the glass and poured herself some more.

As she looked over the edge of the ship, down at the dark rolling waves. She felt a stab at her heart. How could he? After all they had been through together? She respected the fact that he had tried to do it in the best way possible but when your true love falls for someone else...well, thats still heart shattering.

"Ichigo, I think..." he had begun on that chilly autumn afternoon. But he stopped and began again, "Well, we've been dating for six years now and I just don't think...gosh, I really don't know how to say this."

"Say what, Masaya-kun?" the redhead had asked as bubbly as she always was, even as a nineteen year old.

He had stopped walking and turned to her. He took her hands in his and said very slowly and quietly, "We've been dating for six years now...but I don't think we can go any further with our relationship," he paused waiting for it to sink in. She was frozen, just trying to understand what he was getting at - but she knew all too well what he was saying, "Ichigo, I never wanted to hurt you. I'm so sorry. We can still talk, you have my number if you need me and we'll always be friends."

Remembering that day brought tears to her eyes and so she attempted to down a full glass of wine this time. But she only succeeded in consuming half the drink as she had quite forcefully brought the glass to her lips effectively throwing the rest of the liquid over herself. She choked and began coughing violently as she tried to pour herself yet another glass of the stuff. But the memories kept flowing back to her.

Next she remembered arriving at the cafe a few weeks after breaking up with Masaya Aoyama. She had burst through the doors as always shouting out, "Sorry, I'm late!"

But this time instead of making a rude remark or threatening to reduce her pay Ryou simply said, "Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. Just go get changed."

"Okay?" she said as she slipped off to the changing rooms to put on her uniform.

As she approached the changing room door she had heard her name. So she stopped and listened.

"Apparently she keeps calling him," that was Mint.

"Oh, poor, Ichigo," Retasu had replied.

"Maybe we should take her out on the clubs and see if she's pulls, as the british say," Purin had cheered.

"No, we need to let her move on and she needs to do that on her own," Zakuro had pointed out but then after a moment added, "But she won't be able to if she keeps on haggling him like this. Neither will he, I suppose."

Ichigo just stood there with her back against the wall beside the door and her head down, her hair covering the top half of her face. The tears began as Keiichiro appeared beside her.

"Is everything alright, Momomiya-san?" he asked her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She enthusiastically nodded her head in an attempt to hide the tears and saddness but then stopped and said, "actually, um, I'm not feeling too well. Would it would be alright if I took the day off?"

"Well, I'm not sure how Ryou would react but don't you worry. I'll talk to him," he had smiled and waved her off, "Go home and rest."

"Thank you very much, Akasaka-san!" she cried over her shoulder as she retreated out of the cafe away from her so-called friends.

A sob escaped her throat as this next painful memory sprung up. Chucking the empty glass over board, she grabbed the bottle with her free hand and downed the rest of it contents.

Ichigo had ran all the way from the cafe to the Aoyama residence. She took a deep breath before she rang the bell. At first no answer so she rang it again...and then again. Finally after five minutes the door opened a crack, a deep sigh was heard and then the door opened fully to reveal a rather scruffy looking Masaya Aoyama.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Masaya-kun. Did I wake you?" she apologised.

"Err, yeah," he replied crossing his arms across his chest and leaning on the door frame.

"It's a bit late to be sleeping isn't it?" she had pointed out checking her watch.

"What do you want Ichigo?" he asked rather bluntly and she could hear irritation in his voice.

"I...I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out since I have the day off today?" she asked sweetly with a smile on her face and then as a last thought added, "As friends, of course!"

"Of course," he repeated and then deeply sighed, "Look, Ichigo-"

"Masaya-san!" Masaya had cringed as Ichigo jumped and her eyes flew over his shoulder to the semi-naked girl who swooped up behind him and weeved her arms around his torso from behind, "Don't you know its rude to keep a lady waiting? Especially if she's in your bed," that was when the girl noticed Ichigo standing there awkwardly and wide-eyed, "Oh, is this one of your little friends? Hi, my name's Miyama, what's yours?"

"Ichigo, this is my work colleague Miyama-chan," he began introducing them, "Miyama-chan, this is Momomiya-san an old friend from school."

"Nice to meet cha Momo-chan!" Miyama had cried out, smiling brightly.

"I see you're busy," Ichigo mumbled and turned to run away as she had at the cafe, "But it's okay, don't worry. I'll ask Miwa if she wants to hang out instead!"

"Ichigo wait!" he cried after her. But she didn't stop, she carried on running until she crashed in to her bed at home and cried herself to sleep.

_An old friend from school._

The words echoed in her mind even now on this cruise ship. This cruise was meant to make her forget all the heart ache and pain she had felt in last three months. It was a sudden idea that she jumped on, deciding to just wing it for once and see if she enjoyed herself. But being aboard this ship she soon realised that she was lonely and pathetic and she could still remember everything that had happened with...what's-his-face...

Maybe, the drink was finally taking effect, her vision was shaky for a start but she could still picture him clearly in her mind. She groaned, she had had the whole bottle in less than half an hour but she needed more. More.

Thud. Thud. Thud. _What was that? Was that me? _She looked down at her own feet and stared at them, swaying slightly. The drink was slowing down her senses and her footsteps seemed to boom loudly in her ears. Thud. Thud. She leaned a little too far forward and lost her balance, slipping in to the bars on the side of the ship.

_That was close_, she thought to herself sadly, _if these bars weren't here I would have..._

She stared down in to the darkness, wondering what was really down there. An escape from this life? An escape from this sadness? An escape from this heart ache? Before she knew it, she was already taking a step in to the nothingness from standing on the top bar.

"Wait, Miss! No!" someone grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her back.

"No! G'off me!" she slurred struggling as she was pulled away from the edge of the ship.

"Please, Miss, thats not the answer!" the man shouted over her incoherent cries, holding on tightly to her wrists as she struggled, "I'll take you back to your room. What's your name? Miss! Miss, please! I'm trying to help you! What is your name?"

She gave up and slumped to the ground, only held up by her wrists which the man still had hold of. He gently let them go and knelt down to her level. He put an arm around her back and pulled her head gently up to rest on his shoulder as she sobbed away.

"Please, Miss, what is your name?" he asked softly.

"Momo...miya Ichig-" she hiccuped and sobbed, and then repeated, "Ichigo."

"Come," he ordered gently, coaxing her to rise from the ground, "Let's get you back to your room, Momomiya-san."


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning **- Sex or (if you like) very fague indication of sexual activities ^_^ ...yeah...that's why its a T people :p At least I'm not going in to M details and making it completely obvious (even though I just have by saying that).

The rating may change over time but it is currently still going to appear in class T.

* * *

The kind young man was lovely - really he was - but even he couldn't really save her. The most he could do was take her back to her room and bid her goodnight, with a mention of checking up on her the next day. He had left her to lay on the bed feeling the nothingness and emptiness of the universe, until she had had enough and found herself waddling back down to the bar, where a full out rave had started.

She ordered a bottle of vodka and starred out across the hall at all the drunken, horny people dancing in this humid room. The strobe lights flickered multicoloured beams of light in almost every direction and it was entrancing when the beat of the music was kicked up a notch.

Next Ichigo found herself in the middle of the mess of people, moving her body in any which way she felt and soon enough had attracted the attention of a pissed young man, maybe a year or two older. He seemed attractive enough as far as Ichigo could see in her drunken state and allowed him to put his hands around her waist.

After all, she was longing for some love and had the desire to be touched and - believe me - this man was more than willing to touch the young woman.

His hands wondered across her body as she swayed and drank to the music. Everything was just wonderful now. She felt numb and at the same time on fire from this man's touch and she couldn't remember where she was or even why she was there. But she didn't care!

She started laughing and giggling like a giddy school girl just before she threw herself in to a hard kiss with the stranger, that currently had his hands firmly pressed against her breasts. As he slipped her the tongue, she moaned and he took this as a signal for something more. He grabbed hold of her wrist and half-dragged, half-led her out of the disco hall. Of course, being in the 'I-don't-give-a-fuck' kind of state that she was in, Ichigo was for anything that this man had in mind.

Every now and then on their little journey to god-knows-where, the boy would stop and push Ichigo against a wall as they made out and Ichigo loved it! He was healing her! He was touching her! He was loving her!

Eventually they made it to a room, presumably the boy's. He opened the door, moreorless shoved her inside and followed in, slamming the door behind him again. Ichigo once again giggled and leaned in to him but he pushed her back roughly. This effectively threw her down on to the single bed. Still giggling Ichigo picked herself up to a sitting position, to which the young man threw himself on top of.

In a matter of minutes clothes were off and bodies were dancing in a state of total and utter drunken lust.

* * *

**Note** - Like to point out that I understand that what is happening is wrong in these circumstances and Ichigo is wrong in saying that he's 'healing' her. But things like this do happen and when people are in similar situations in similar states of mind they can interpret things in a number of different ways. Of course in this story Ichigo believes that he is helping her get over Masaya but only because she's intoxicated and that is what she would like to do. Of course, she'll come to her senses in next chapter.

Keep the reviews kind and non-aggressive please, friends, thank you ^_^

[Not that the first review was aggressive or anything ^_^" haha  
Thank you kisshuismylife. I uploaded this chapter because you asked for it sooner than later ^_^  
But need time now to sleep, work and write more ;)]

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you very much for all the reviews so far ^_^ I'm happy that people are interested and I'll try my hardest not to take ages updating (unlike my other two TMM fanfics - which I haven't abandoned btw!). That's all I wanted to say for this chapter, I guess! :)

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The young woman lay there, eyes slightly glazed over, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

_What are you doing, Ichigo? Mother would be so disappointed in you, not to mention father. _She turned on her side away from the figure beside her. She felt dirty and ashamed. _You're not meant to be getting your own back - you're meant to be getting over him!_ She squeezed her eyes shut tight, willing her memory to stay beneath the murky waters under this ship. She didn't want to remember! She couldn't remember!

..._**Masaya **__wouldn't be impressed, Ichigo. _

"No!" She shot up in bed. She jumped out of the covers, scooped up her cardigan and slung the thing around her shoulders.

Dashing out of the stranger's room and across the ship's many corridors and floors her mind kept screaming. _Back to the bar! Back to the bar! Alcohol! I need to forget! I can't remember!_

She got to the disco hall but there was no one there. Just three people - cleaners.

What was the time? How long had she danced? How long had she been with that man? More importantly - why was the bar closed?

The bar was shut and locked up with metal shutters.

"No!" she shouted again and ran up to the bar. She punched the shutters, catching the attention of the cleaners. As she struggled with the metal crates keeping her from her medicine two of the cleaners, a small woman and a tall man, tried to pry her away from her goal.

"G'off me!" she screamed, and the sobs began again as she struggled against their hold, "Please! Please le'me get a'drink! I nee'it! I NEEDIT!"

The man said something but she couldn't hear him over her own, once again, incoherent cries.

They had managed to drag her to the doors and practically had to throw her out. She scrambled to her feet but slammed hard in to the wooden doors which they had obviously bolted shut from the inside, locking her out.

Now she was even further from her medicine. She dropped to her knees crying and sobbing immensely. She pounded her fists against the thick wooden door but she knew they weren't going to let her in.

She could remember it...SHE COULD REMEMBER IT!_ I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER! I CAN'T LET MYSELF REMEMBER!_

She got up and started walking.

_"We've been dating for six years now...but I don't think we can go any further with our relationship."_

"Please!" Ichigo tripped and fell hard on the ships deck. She hit her head and the pain shocked her whole body. She had to breathe for a moment but then again she was still remembering, "no..."

_"Apparently she keeps calling him."  
"Oh, poor, Ichigo."_

"Stop it! Please, stop!" she cried banging the ground with her fist again.

_"Let her move on and she needs to do that on her own. But she won't be able to if she keeps on like this."_

"SHUT UP!" she shrieked, and rose her feet.

She stumbled towards the railings and dangled her upper body over the edge. The wind blew her hair around her face and the chill in the air shook her to her core. But not as much as these memories, it seemed.

_"Ichigo, this is my work colleague Miyama-chan. Miyama-chan, this is Momomiya-san -"_

"No..." she weeped.

"..._an old friend from school."_

"HOW COULD YOU, YOU ARSEHOLE!" Ichigo screamed out at the rolling waves in the distance. She climbed up on the rails and roared with a fury and sorrow deeply set in to her face, "AFTER ALL THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH. HOW COULD YOU!"

_Ichigo._

She breathed in but when she exhaled she felt cold and empty and heavy.

_Ichigo._

It felt like gravity became a little stronger and she began falling.

_Ichigo._

She squeezed her eyes shut as the water was fast approaching.

"Ichigo?"

She hit the waves and a terrifying moment later her natural instinct to survive kicked in and she tried to swim up. Emerging from the deep, she gasped and turned around as another wave crashed over her head pulling her under again.

Oh god, this was horrible but wasn't this what she wanted? To end it all?

As her body began to panic and she was driven by her instincts she realised this was not how she wanted to end it. She was uncomfortable and struggling against the pull of the ocean. She would spring up out of the waters, gulpping up all the air she could just be dragged under again.

_I'm drowning,_ Ichigo realised in a state of panic, _I'm drowning and nobody knows..._

Suddenly her movements slowed down until her body stopped moving completely and her eyes fluttered shut. The pain and the feeling of her lungs filling up was becoming numb and she finally knew that it woud be over soon. She would be fine in a matter of minutes. She would be dead and the heart ache would no longer bother her.

_Peace at last_, she thought, _Goodbye Aoyama-kun._

* * *

Bring on the panicees! :D

No worries - seriously! This is not how the story ends - really, I mean it, there's more.

**Read and Review, my beautiful people ^_^**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	4. Chapter 4

Really short chapter but hey-ho you're getting another chapter today as well ;) haha

Enjoy ;) x x

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She breathed in deeply, smelling the cool clean air and then exhaled.

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open expecting to see white clouds and golden gates but instead she found herself in a room, in a big comfy bed. The cool air was flowing in from the open window to her right. This was the room that she was staying in on board the ship.

Was last night a dream? No, it couldn't have been otherwise her head wouldn't be suffering a killer migraine right now. Also she realised that it was actually hurting her to breathe normally as her lungs felt like they were on fire. Why was that again?

The redhead gasped as a sudden painful flashback hit her. She was drowning. She remembered that she was drowning last night. But no one knew. How could anyone have saved her? She should have died before anyone on board had realised she was even missing.

Maybe...maybe she _was _dead. Maybe she was in spirit right now and just hadn't realised. Oh dear.

As Ichigo's mind raced across all of the possiblities she failed to notice the young man sitting down across the room.

"So finally awake, are we?" he asked.

Ichigo jumped and her eyes snapped to the figure. She just starred at him for a moment, unable to answer. She hadn't known anyone was in here with her and his appearance struck her as odd yet familiar. For a start the boy had green hair and his dress sense was...eccentric, you could say? Three-quarter length black trousers with black streamers flowing from the back and outwards. Black boots, a black shirt and a dark green vest top. He also had bandages around his arms and one around his neck. "You know, its four in the afternoon, right?"

She let her eyes fall to her hands in her lap. She scanned them turning them this way and that. After a few moment's she looked up at him again and saw his confused expression. She asked him, "Am I dead?"

He made a face as he answered, "No."

She looked around and sighed deeply, "I should be dead. I should have died. I drowned last night."

"I know," he said.

"You know?" she repeated looking to him with a puzzled expression.

"I was there when you jumped," he told her.

"Really?" she asked and tried to remember some more details from the night before but couldn't quite picture the whole scene, "I don't remember seeing anybody else there."

"You wouldn't have. I wasn't on the same..." he paused thinking about how to word his sentence and then finally finished with, "...level...as you."

"What do you mean?" she asked tilting her head to the side curiously.

The young man smirked, "You know you've changed a lot but you're still adorable."

Ichigo was silent now. He basically just said that they knew each other or at least he knew her. But she couldn't deny that she recognised him somewhat. Oh! If she could just put her finger on it.

"I've missed you, Koneko-chan."

Ichigo's eyes widened and she held her breath.

_Kisshu._

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**Remember to Read & Review ;D**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	5. Chapter 5

...hey... :)  
Sorry for any spelling mistakes...and sorry in general...^_^"

* * *

Minutes passed and she just starred at him wide-eyed.

Kisshu. This man couldn't be Kisshu. He was much more older -_ of course he would be older, you idiot! _Her mind screamed at her. But Kisshu was back home, lightyears away. He wasn't coming back, there would be no reason to. There was nothing on Earth for him and as far as he knew she was still loved by Aoyama. The thought that he was here now was ridiculous!

"Are _you _dead?" Ichigo finally asked.

He just starred back at her for a moment, confused but it made sense somewhat in Ichigo's mind. When you die you visit those you love before you move on. He had always said how much he loved her maybe he had returned to say goodbye once and for all and the fact that she could see him clearly made her wonder if she too was actually dead. Yeah, he had said that that wasn't true but what if he hadn't realised either?

"No, Ichigo," he replied slowly, "I'm not dead...and neither are you. We're alive and in your room on this ship."

"But...but I drowned," she pointed out.

"I saved you," he answered.

"You're here," she added.

"Yes, I am," he confirmed.

"But that doesn't make any sense. You can't be," she felt like she couldn't quite breathe properly and realised that she was hyperventilating, "I don't...why would you...why are you...oh god...oh god...drink...I need a drink..."

"I got you some water, here," he said picking up a glass and holding it out to her.

She scrunched up her nose at it and got up to her feet, swatting his hand away at the same time, "No, I mean an...actual drink!"

"An _actual drink_?" he asked, as he placed the glass back down on the small table under the window.

Ichigo made her way to the door and Kisshu followed her while wiping his hand dry, as she had the knocked some of the water out when she had slapped his hand.

"And what exactly do you mean by an _actual drink_?" Kish asked.

"I mean an _actual drink_!" she snapped throwing her hands in the air, "Like vodka! Beer! Wine! Cinder!"

"You mean alcohol?" he asked shocked, "You do realise that if you consume alcohol you're not doing yourself any good, right?"

She laughed, but it wasn't genuine it was mean and cruel. She stopped in her tracks and turned towards him. She had a dazed and empty smile on her face and her eyes were narrowed in an evil, odd sort of way. What had happened to the cute little Koneko that plagued his memories? She certainly wasn't here at this moment in time.

One of her arms snaked up and her hand fastened around his neck, roughly pulling him down so that they were eye level. He winced at her ungentle force, not that it hurt much physically, as she brought her lips to his long ear and whispered almost mockingly, "That's the point, love."

She let go and laughed at his unbelieving face. Ichigo turned and continued on her journey towards the bar most likely but now Kisshu was angry. He glared at her back and teleported. He reappeared in front of her making her jump.

"Well, that's a daring move," she said without emotion, she gestured around, "There are people here. You don't care about staying under cover?"

He made no reaction to what she said and wrapped his arms around her teleporting back to her room. When they reappeared he let her go and she fell back on to her bed. Ichigo looked around confused for a moment and then back at him now returning the glare.

"What the hell are you doing?" she shouted at him. Kisshu just barred his arms across his chest and leaned against the door, effectively signaling that she was not leaving, "Excuse me? Anyone up there!" she jumped up to her feet and literally whacked her hand across the top of his head, "Let me out!"

That move made Kish see red. He had not come back for a fight but if she was going to start one he wasn't going to walk away; after all it would do her more harm than good if he did anyway.

She shot her arm out again but he caught her wrist before she made contact with his head and growled, bringing his face very close to hers, "You better tell me that you weren't just about to hit me again."

"And what if I was?" she snapped back at him angrily.

"I didn't fly half way across the universe for you to treat me like this, Ichigo!" he shouted in her face.

"No, you seem to have flown half way across the universe for nothing!" she screamed back at him.

He stood up straight and let her take her wrist back.

Ichigo brought her other hand around her wrist rubbing it from his tight grip and continued to glare up at him. Kisshu just stared at her, no longer glaring. Expressionless.

After a quiet few moments he sighed and shook his head saddly, "I guess not."

He teleported out and he was gone.

Ichigo stared at the spot where he had been moments before and tried to remember how to breath.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

"Just a dream. Or a hallucination," Ichigo whispered to herself, "Yeah...he wasn't here. He wouldn't come back. He wouldn't. He hasn't. He's not here. He's not. No."

She curled in to a ball on the bed and tried to fall asleep in the hopes that she would wake up from this dream.

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**Remember to Read & Review**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	6. Chapter 6

Extra loooooooong chapter this time so hoping for some more reviews, please, people :)

* * *

Ichigo squirmed uncomfortably in the bed. Her stomach was flipping and reacting violently to whatever she had consumed in the last day or two. Her eyes shot open and she clamped her hand over her mouth as she dashed in to the on suite and threw up in to the toilet.

There was a knocking at the door as she finished retching. Ichigo grapped a towel on the way out and wiped her mouth before she opened the door.

She had spliting headache and awful tummy bug but she was feeling more steady and more herself again. Thank god that was over - no more hallucinating and drunken ramblings for a while.

"Good evening, Miss," it was a smiling young man wearing a suit with a name tag. Miki. He apparently worked here and he looked familiar. Maybe she had passed him a couple of times since she had aboard.

"Good evening, sir," she replied politely, "Can I help you?"

"Of course not, you are the guest not I," he told her and then gesturing to her explained, "I came to check on you. You were not quite..._well_ last night."

_Ah, so that's it_, she thought, _how embarrassing_.

She cringed, "I'm really sorry that you had to deal with that."

He chuckled softly and shook his head, "It's really not a problem. You'd be surprised how many people we have to look after when they're not entirely themselves. I'm just glad that you seem better."

"I just threw up," she confessed bluntly, looking down as if ashamed.

"Ah, I see," he took a step closer and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "My apologies. Let me clean you up and get you a new towel."

"Thank you but I'm alright," she told him.

"Miss, you have vomit in your hair," he told her with an apologetic expression, "Please, I insist."

"Um, when you say 'clean me up' you don't mean..." she trailed off too shy to ask.

"Oh dear god, no," he chuckled, "You're beautiful Miss, really you are, but I'm not going to invade on your privacy like that. I am a gentleman and we do not behave in such manner. I just mean that I will help you freshen up so that you are more comfortable and able to feel better, Miss."

"Oh, okay," she smiled sweetly at him. He was lovely and so polite, "Thank you very much, Miki-san."

He smiled warmly at her use of his name, "Not a problem, Momomiya-san."

* * *

Once cleaned up and feeling much better, Ichigo sighed as she collapsed on to her bed. She layed down and smiled. Miki was standing by the bathroom door sorting out the dirty towels from the clean ones.

He turned and smiled at the happy sight of her.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

She opened her eyes and looked over to see him smiling at her. She sat up again and grinned from ear to ear, "Yes, thank you, Miki."

"I am glad," he told her with a nod of his head, "You should enjoy your stay here."

"Mm," she sighed her smile deflating a little.

The man noticed the change and approached her. He knelt down on to one knee in front of her and setting the towels down to the side, he picked up one of her hands and then held it in between his own gently. With a look of pure concern, that almost took her breath away, he asked, "Whatever is the matter? Is there anything I can do?"

It took her a few moments to remember how to breathe and then how to speak, "N-no...well, not really. I came here to forget something, well someone."

"A boy?" he asked in understanding.

She nodded and continued, "But it didn't work so I drank and that obviously made everything worse...I just don't know if I really am going to enjoy myself on this cruise," she sighed, shaking her head, "I'm contemplating getting off at the next stop."

"You speak any english or hawaiian?" Miki asked raising his eyebrows at her.

"Well, no but..." she trailed off.

"Then I suggest you don't get off in Hawaii," he smiled then and chuckled again. He got up and sat down next to her on the bed, "That boy. You loved him?"

"Yes," she nodded, wondering what he was getting at.

"He was the one that moved on?" he asked gently. Ichigo only nodded, "Well then, he doesn't deserve you." She looked up at the man with a confused expression. Miki only smiled back as he explained, "If the boy was crazy enough to give up on a beautiful flower such as you then he is insane and clearly not worthy to hold you in his arms. He was obviousy too dazzled by your gorgeous personality and your shining brown eyes. They're lovely and I suppose that he felt like he was drowning in them and panicked."

_Drowning..._

She involentarily winced at the word. Ichigo remembered drowning. Kish had said that he saved her. He would have been the only one able to...but he was only a figment of her imagination...maybe the drowning was only part of her imagination too. But it felt real.

"Are you okay, Miss?" Miki asked softy with a hand on her cheek.

She shook her head, shaking away the confusing thoughts, "Err, yeah, just tired I guess." She moved his hand away from her face. Its not that she didn't appreciate the comfort he was trying to give her it was just that he seemed to be getting too intimate in his actions whether he realised it or not.

He seemed to because he took his hands back, edged at little away from her on the bed and then smiled again, "I see. Momomiya-chan, all I'm saying is that you are very pretty and a lovely girl. If I can say that about someone I've only known for about half and hour then what the hell is wrong with that boy? His loss. You just keep that in mind when you think about him. He's crazy to let you go, my dear."

She laughed shaking her head at his odd enthusiasm "Thank you, Miki. That's very kind of you to say."

He took a breath to say continue when the door knocked again.

They both looked at the door then Ichigo looked back at him. He smiled and winked at her as he got up and went to open the door.

Miki opened the door fully to show Ichigo who was standing outside.

"Can I help you?" Miki asked the visiter politely.

"Maybe. Do you know where my stuff went?" Ichigo gasped as it was Kish. So was he really here after all? He must be, "I mean her stuff made it here fine, but my stuff has gone missing. Not to mention Ichigo herself." He turned to her, "I was out looking for you all last night."

"Your bags should have been with you the whole time, Sir," Miki turned to Ichigo, "Is this the boy?"

"Yes," Kish answered.

"No," Ichigo said frowning at Kisshu, who frowned back at her in a disappointed way, "He's not the boy I was talking about. He's an old friend."

That seemed to lift the alien's spirits again, and he smiled at her.

"Ah, I see," Miki smiled and turned back to Kish, "Sir, you should have kept your bags with you but I shall investigate for you."

"Nah, that's alright. I didn't pack much to be honest," Kisshu shrugged, "Only a couple of shirts and a pair of shoes. I was hoping to buy something new abroad anyway."

"If you are sure, Sir," Miki said, in offering.

"Nah, its cool. Thanks," Kish walked in and stood by the door inside opposite to the other man.

Miki smiled and took this as his cue to leave. He took two steps out and turned back to bow at Ichigo and bid her farewell.

"Have a good night, Miss," he smiled at her and she blushed, "I shall check on you again tomorrow, my pretty flower."

Ichigo saw Kish roll his eyes as he swung the door shut before Miki even walked away.

"Can I ask what you did to have him hitting all over you like that? Cause when I left you last you were rudest and most vile person I had ever met," Kisshu asked smirking and crossig his arms like he had earlier. He even leaned against the door again but it seemed that this time he was trying to keep someone out rather than keep her in.

She frowned, "That was rude."

"Oh, and you weren't?" he scoffed.

"No, I don't mean the remark," she corrected waving her hand at him, "I mean closing the door in his face like that. He was only being polite."

Kisshu laughed, "Don't be daft, Ichigo love, he was flirting with you. You're not still intoxicated are you?"

"No!" she shrieked throwing him a look that showed she was appalled at the thought, "I'm fine now...I think."

"You think?" he asked raising his eyebrows at her.

After a moment's silence she sighed and then nodded explaining, "You really are here, aren't you? I'm not hallucinating, am I?"

Kish smirked finding the thought amusing, "No, Ichigo, you're not hallucinating. I'm really here. Look, come here and touch me."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed, "My hand! Touch my hand! Oh, Ichigo, don't be so paranoid! I'm not that childish, sweetheart." He smiled warmly at her.

She rose to her feet and began to approach him while mumbling, "You can't blame me. You were such a pervert before."

He laughed again and held out his hand to her, open and inviting. Ichigo stared at it for a moment and then up at his face. His golden eyes smiled back at her and urged her to close the distance so she did. She reached out and took hold of his hand. She gasped as it felt so real and he pulled her closer.

Being held in his arms so tightly she realised that he really was here. She stared up in to his eyes and then smiled brightly.

"Why did you come back, you silly alien?" she asked throwing her arms around him as well.

He laughed and the smile on his face couldn't get any bigger, "Now that was the greeting that I was hoping for," he sighed happily and added, "I missed you too much, love." Ichigo tilted her head to the side and he tapped his head with his index finger twice, "You're still up here, you know."

"Wow..." she whispered then laughed and said in playful manner, "You're really sad."

"Hey," he laughed and decided to see if she was ticklish to which she screamed.

"No, stop it! Stop it!" she screamed between giggles, "Kish, please!"

"Oh, how I'd love for you to say that to me in bed," he sighed and stopped tickling her, collapsing on to her bed.

She flushed bright red and stared at him wide eyed, "What the hell? Wha-!"

"Hey, I never said that I had changed much, you must have assumed," he winked at her shocked pink face, "I'm still the same Kisshu you knew when I was sixteen. I'm just...bigger...and older...and alone this time. And not trying to take over the world... or trying to kill you - or kidnap you for that matter."

"I bloody well hope not," she sighed rubbing her checks trying to see if she could practically brush the blushing away, "I've not had a good trip so far."

"I'd say that that was your own fault but then I don't know why you did it in the first place to be honest," he commented, not looking directly at her when he said it. He stared up at the ceiling while he spoke in case he said something wrong.

Ichigo just sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, "You're probably right though. It was stupid of me to let myself get like that. Urgh! I feel so embarrassed."

She cringed and covered her face with her hands.

"Ichigo?" when she moved her hands to look at him she found him hovering horizontal in front of her, with his face inches from hers, "You said that I was your friend to that creep. D'ya mean it?"

She laughed again and nodded. He smiled and then wrapped his arm around her again. He rest his chin on the top of her head and sighed, "I love you, Koneko-chan."

Ichigo just smiled and hugged him back. She was glad that she had someone she knew with her now. Someone who didn't know what had happened and didn't talk about her behind her back and someone who was there for her and still cared about her deeply. She was somewhat happy now.

But then a sudden realisation hit her. She was now on a cruise ship with Kisshu and he had made it obvious that he was still as perverted as ever. Oh dear, how was this cruise going to turn out now? The thought almost excited her.

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	7. Chapter 7

Apologies for any spelling mistakes.

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Ichigo's eyes kept wandering back to the bar, contemplating whether it would be a bad idea just to have one drink. Kisshu's eyes stayed trained on her, making sure she was fine and also just watching her in general.

They were sat at a table in the disco hall around 8 o'clock at night. This was when the shows were beginning to stop and pack up, and the families were going back to their rooms. The next performers to set up were two DJs getting ready for the next rave of the night. Ichigo felt somewhat sorry for the people who had rooms near this hall.

Songs were still playing during the DJs set up and Kish couldn't keep his foot from tapping along to the music. He looked over to the dancefloor and saw a few people aready dancing. They were smiling and laughing with their friends and family and they all looked like they were happy and having fun. Ichigo saw them too. These people were very different from the one's that she could remember last night.

"Hey," Ichigo looked over to Kish and saw him smiling at her, "Wanna dance?"

She was taken aback. Dance? With Kish? He was bound to do something perverted and creepy , besides she was far too shy to go out there and dance in front of all these people. The only reason she had been able to do so last night was because she was drunk and so was the majority of the room at the time.

"Maybe after a drink," she suggested, glancing over at the bar again, still contemplating on buying just one.

Kisshu cupped one of her hands with both of his own, drawing back her attention. He was still smiling warmly, "You don't need one, really. You have me," He winked.

Ichigo laughed and asked playfully, "What? Get drunk off you?"

"If you want," he shrugged with a smirk as he stood up. He then held his hand out to her in offering again, "How about it, Koneko-chan?"

She sighed but got up and took his hand, giving in, "Alright but no funny business."

"Ah, I can't promise that, love, but I'll try," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes and they walked on to the dance floor.

They made their way in to the group of people hand in hand.

Ichigo was still noticing how different these people were. They were smiling and laughing and talking. Last night their smiles, though clouded as her mind was, seemed far less genuine than she first thought. All of their movements were too slimy and slippery, not bubbly and amusing as this crowd now.

Ichigo was brought out of her thoughts with a jump as Kisshu's arms snaked around her waist but went no further. He held her close but left her enough room to be comfortable so she could move. So she could dance.

At this moment she felt a strange churning inside and for a split second panicked that she was about to vomit. But after a moment of nothing, she was confused and wondered what had caused the odd feeling. For now she just shyly stood, awkwardly staring straight on at his chest.

"Ichigo," Kish whispered straight in to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, "Relax."

He slowly and carefully took her hands and placed them around his neck so that she was holding him too and then placed his own hands back on her hips again. He smirked as she blushed from the chills she was currently feeling.

_Whoa. What was that? _She wondered. Had Kisshu really just caused her to react in such a way.

They began to move with the music. Ichigo was following Kish's moves and he realised this, so he kept it simple.

By the time that the next DJs were set up and ready to mix it up, Ichigo was more comfortable and she was actually beginning to enjoy herself now. Kisshu smiled warmly down at her, noticing that she was happier than she had been. She smiled back up at him.

Although he had made the earlier comment, warning her that he couldn't be trusted to be sensible, he hadn't moved his hands once and he hadn't made any inappropriate gestures at all. He just held her as they swayed, jumped, skipped, etc.

Eventually, having so much fun together, they lost track of time and ended up continuing their fun in to the young and sweaty rave of the night. The friendly family disco had ended quite a few songs back but they really couldn't care less. They were enjoying themselves too much to leave yet.

That was until a lanky, skinny guy with jerky dance moves and greasy hair slithered up beside Ichigo. She tried her best to ignore him at first but when he was practically inches from her face, from dancing so close, that was a bit impossible. She attempted to push him back a little and he flipped his hand out and swatted her arse.

Ichigo literally jumped a foot away from him. "Hey!" She shrieked, turning to face him and backing in to Kish's chest.

"What's wrong baby?" the boy purred over the music, "You weren't complaining last night."

Her expression was horrified as foggy flashbacks invaded her mind. Oh how revolting. She groaned inwardly.

The young man still, even now, tried to grind up against her and thrusted his hips in her direction.

"Excuse me," she didn't even have to check to know what his face would look like. Kisshu sounded like he was really straining to remain calm at this moment in time. But the boy hadn't heard him - or maybe he was just ignoring him. So Kish tried again a little louder, a little more aggressive, "Excuse me!"

Ichigo whimpered and pressed herself against Kish as much as she could for some kind of protection as the young man was quite literally rubbing his lower half against her now.

"Kisshu," Ichigo pleaded, grabbing at his shirt with her hands.

All of a sudden her hands held nothing and she began to fall. Luckily a girl with short black hair, standing near caught her before she hit the ground and steadied her on her feet. Ichigo turned to where Kisshu was now. He had teleported from behind her to behind the young man and had his fist raised high above his head.

"Kisshu, no!" Ichigo screamed. She couldn't care less about the rude boy she just didn't want Kish to end up in trouble. But he ignored her order and brought his hand down crashing in to the side of the boy's skull, knocking him sidewards.

The lanky boy stumbled and tripped over his own feet but remained standing. After steadying himself he looked around in a sort of daze as his eyes refocused and found Kisshu standing out from the crowd who had moved away from him, creating a clear ring around them.

The black haired girl pulled Ichigo gently in to the surrounding crowd so that she was not in harms way being in the fighting zone that the kids had automatically created.

"You," the boy barked, pointing with a shaky crooked finger, "Did you 'it me mate?"

"Did I _hit _you? Yes, I did, "Kisshu confessed as if it was nothing and then added as an after thought, "And I'm not your mate. Not in your context and certainly not in mine."

"What you saying mate?" the boy scoffed and then threw Kish a vile, cruel smile, "You want'er to yourself, don't ya? Don't blame ya, bruv. She's bare fit."

The boy turned a sick, saddist smile in Ichigo direction, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in fear and disgust. But before the boy could turn back to look at Kish again, he was knocked back for a second time. Kisshu had punched him quick and hard in to the bottom of his jaw this time and an awful crack was emitted, almost echoing around the crowd.

The boy moaned and groaned for a moment as he straightened himself up to standing again. He wiped his mouth the back of his hand and growled when he saw the thick, crimson liquid. He practically threw himself at Kisshu, missing one hit, making contact the next.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The crowd were now chanting and fist pumping, while Ichigo screamed at them to stop and watched on in horror.

Kisshu of course was the much better fighter quitely obviously from his training back home but that didn't mean he was untouchable and unable to feel pain. The boy caught him square in face, causing Kish to be thrown back this time. Kisshu didn't even think about it - because it was natural for him and his race - but in order to stop himsef from falling, he lifted himself off of the ground. He was hovering in front of the kids.

Some people around began screaming and running away, some literally hysterical. Others stayed and began swarming him, asking questions and latching on to him.

"Oh my god, are you from Japan?" one asked.

"No, he attacked Japan, he's an alien you dimwit!" Another shouted at the first.

"I thought you left!"

"Are you back to kill us all?" one guy asked actually laughing when he said it.

"OI!" Kish looked up and over the heads of the small group of people around him, "I ain't finished with you yet, ya freak!"

Kisshu frowned, glaring at the boy and was about to start making his way over to him when Ichigo screamed at him and caught his attention.

"Kisshu, please!" she shouted at him, "He's not worth it. He's just some low life shit and you're not safe here at the moment."

He teleported in front of her, confusing the people who had surrounded him just moments before. Ichigo put her arms around him, and mumbled just loud enough for him to hear, "Let's go back to the room now."

"Okay," he wrapped his arms around her and teleported.

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